Once you've established it's not a change in your clothing, etc, work on your form.

And are you using the same eye as usual? Mixed eye/hand dominance is a lifetime problem, and will rear its ugly head whenever it can.

The two most common probs I have are stopping my swing and lifting my head. It seems to be to be universal, all shooters should check these when scores plummet or birds get missed or worse, wounded more often.

Focus on the basics, stance, mount, etc. And remember to take your shots one at a time. That clay isn't one of a series, it's a new game each time the trap flings one. Running 100 is hitting them one at a time.

And do not let a slump get to you. You've shot better, you will again, just as soon as you've identified the problem and corrected same. If you go over the stuff on this list, it's probably fixed already....

HTH....

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HSMITH

December 26, 2002, 12:15 PM

Solid advise Dave.

Sometimes I can "see" the targets really well and I just crush them, sometimes I don't "see" them nearly as well and scores drop a bit. Practice is what will keep the off days from being nearly as bad, say shooting skeet a good day will be 98-99 an off day will be 93 or 94 instead of 85.

Solid form and technique makes shooting bad a lot harder.

sm

December 26, 2002, 01:36 PM

Good points Dave

If I may add from personal frustra...experience.

Footwear:
( I know you mentioned clothing and physical things-foot wear seems to get overlooked)

I shot with a pair of boat shoes, my usual timing and 'feel' was off kilter, and couldn't peg it. I changed back into my usual tennis shoes--The elevated heel, improved arch support...etc had me more "forward". Footwear had altered my stance.

Quit Thinking:
Yes there are 5 things one is to do correctly to hit skeet birds. The brain is a 'puter of sort--hand/eye coordination. Low 5 was eating my lunch. My partner said " your thinking--quit thinking".
He proceeded to just pull sta 5 birds on a whim, if I had shells in gun he pulled...I quit measuring...I let my natural 'puter take over.

Give Up:
One can get totally frustrated, start getting bad advice from shooters that don't have the experience/or the ability to shoot.
Get a cup of coffee, soda, clear your mind, tell a joke...anything. Then with shooting parteners--or those whom you shoot squads with...allow then to critque. Sometimes just clearing the mind is all that's needed.

Oh I still miss,more than I care to but I at least try to gain "style points" when I do

:D

Dave McCracken

December 26, 2002, 07:12 PM

Thanks, guys, Maybe I should have emphasized concentration. Focus is a BIG factor.

I may shoot better with a heeled shoe to move me a little forward without an exaggerated knee bend.
Haven't tested this one enough yet,will advise.

And my personal mantra these days when I taker that deep breath beofre calling for the bird is,

"Just SHOOT the thing"...

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